Dracula: Timeless Lust
by Druid Sorceress
Summary: After narrowly escaping death by the rising sun at the hands of Jonathan Harker, Dracula survives and begins his hunt for a new bride in the 21st century. Based on the 1979 version of Dracula starring Frank Langella and Sir Laurence Olivier
1. Prologue into the future

DISCLAIMER: I do not own the characters in this story. Dracula, as we all know it, is the creation of famed Irish author Bram Stoker. The concept of this story is something that came to mind when watching Dracula (1979) starring Frank Langella. This beginning part is a continuation from the movie before it goes into my story.

_**The Year 1875**_

_... Lucy lay there in horror as she watched her undead lover burn and blister in the wake of the risen sun. She felt the overwhelming urge to attack his murderer, one Jonathan Harker, but felt Dracula's power over her ebb and fade away with each beat of her pounding heart._

_Harker leaned against the lever to the crane, breathing heavily with the exertion of defending himself against the said King of Vampires. He glanced over into the direction of Abraham Van Helsing, already mourning the loss of one of the most courageous and intelligent men he had ever known next to John Seward, his future father in law. Sighing with satisfaction, he closed his eyes, failing to notice the black figure flying away from the crow's nest of the ship where he was nearly confined to his death..._

**The Present, 2009**

He had wandered the Earth for countless centuries...maintaining a youthful appearance while those around him aged and wasted away...watching as empires rose and fell before the birth of what was now known as the 'modern' world today.

That night, he walked down the cobblestone streets of London, England as he had done since he first set foot on English land many centuries ago. The modern world was full of new and exciting wonders to him, presenting new opportunities to enrich his knowledge and tantalize his ancient mind.

And, the modern women...ah, they were heavenly...it was far easier to use his charms on intended victims than centuries before. He had found many places where he blended in with his Victorian style clothing, mostly gothic clubs, and chose most of his willing victims from there to sup.

He was rather fond of a place called Eternity, a gothic club that promoted up and coming musical acts. Although he was quite partial to the Classical music composed in his younger days, he vastly enjoyed the latest versions of 'Gothic Opera' that filled this particular place.

It was a mere matter of time before he stood among the crowded club, savouring the meal to come as he inhaled the different scents that permeated within the confined area. Walking amongst the throngs of nicely painted people, he approached his usual perch, anticipating the first act of the night.

The crowd began to assemble as the emcee came onstage to announce the first band, whose members were quickly setting their equipment up onstage.

He tapped the mic twice before he began.

"Good evening my fellow children of the night" the eerily pale young man announced, clad in an outfit not unlike the ones Dracula wore many centuries ago "I give you our first act of the night, Canada's own Blood Lust!"

Dracula let his gaze roam onstage, noticing the pretty, young lead singer. She reminded him vaguely of Lucy Seward, who would have been his eternal bride. Her long dark hair fell way past her shoulders, nearly touching her shapely buttocks. She was a very curvy woman indeed...the kind of girl who would be irresistible in a flowing gown with a fitted corset...one quality he admired in a woman next to a sharp mind and tongue.

He stared at her with his penetrating dark eyes, his curiosity quickening with every glimpse of the astonishing seraph singing a haunting melody. The sound of her haunting voice made every nerve ending in his body sizzle as he watched with wonder. He had to have her...to claim her as his and his alone.

As the song came to an end, he set his power on her. Willing himself to get inside her mind, he murmured "Look at me".

In a split second, their eyes met...dark brown met dark brown as they gazed at each other silently. The crowd cheered and applauded around them but in their connection with each other, it was as if they were the only two that existed.

After what seemed like a long moment, he willed the connection to break, murmuring "When you wake up, you will remember nothing"

She blinked and turned away from his penetrating gaze as she picked up her guitar and slunk offstage with her male band mates. Smiling with satisfaction, he swiftly moved away from where he was standing to follow her...

... Garnet Glacius walked to the dressing room in a fog. She had this ominous feeling that she could not put her finger on. She almost felt like she was being watched.

Sighing, she followed her friend, and band mate, Jason Weekes into their dressing room for the night. Their performance was one of the best they'd done since their tour of England and she wanted to relish that sense of accomplishment.

"Garnet" Jason said, turning to face her, drumsticks in hand "You were great out there tonight."

"You did well yourself, Jase" she replied, smiling as she opened her guitar case "One member doesn't make the band"

"I wonder if anything good will come out of our tour" inquired Marty Knowles, the bassist and her second best friend "As much as I like touring, we can't just go from place to place like gypsies"

"I agree" Garnet signed, putting her guitar in its case before closing it "I could use a long gig somewhere. Especially here...I love London!"

"You looked a little spaced out there at the end of our set" Chris Masters, the lead guitarist said "Is everything alright, Garnet?"

"Yes I think so" she said, trying to figure out what had happened moments ago when her mind was blank "Must have been relief that they liked our music"

Before Chris could ask her to elaborate on why she mentioned relief, there was a knock on their dressing room door.

"Who could that be?" Jason wondered, twirling his drumsticks around expertly "Did anyone follow us?"

"Maybe it's the club owner" Marty said, heading to answer the door "It could be something good"

"I don't know" Chris said, feeling uneasy "I hope it's not a crazed fan or anything"

"Oh come on, Chris" Garnet said, stifling a laugh as Marty answered the door "Do you honestly think that everyone here could be a cr-"

"Good evening" said a deep male voice with a slight accent "I presume this is the dressing room for Blood Lust"

Everyone else turned to the door to see their visitor. He turned out to be a tall, slim, dark haired man dressed in a black Victorian suit with a crisp white shirt and flowing black cape. Garnet's first instinct was to roll her eyes but she stopped herself as she got a better look. He had a regal air about him and he seemed different than the others they had seen in the crowd.

"Yes this is" Marty said, slightly confused at the man's presence "Why do you ask?"

The visitor looked at the men in the room darkly before his penetrating gaze fell upon Garnet. A smile formed on his full lips as he crossed the room to where she was standing. As he stood in front of her, she realized that he bore a deep resemblance to an actor she had seen in an older movie once.

"Ah yes...Miss Glacius" he said, taking her hand and kissing it before giving her a penetrating stare "A pleasure to meet such a talented young woman"

"Th---thank you" Garnet stammered nervously, making Marty and Chris snicker at her "And who might you be?"

"I am Count Dracula" he said formally, rubbing his thumb across the palm of her warm hand. Garnet looked at Jason weirdly before answering.

"With all do respect sir, Count Dracula is a fictional character created by famed Irish author Bram Stoker" she said, as politely as possible "I mean no disrespect but you're not the first to say that. However I do give you credit for your appearance...you look a lot like that actor..."

"Frank Langella" he said, with the tiniest hint of a smile "Yes...so i've been told before"

Garnet eased up a little, realizing he may be harmless; however, she knew not that he was putting thoughts in her subconscious. She decided to play along with his little charade.

"How may I help you, Count Dracula?"...


	2. Lamentations

**DISCLAIMER:**I own nothing!

... "Well, I am in the midst of purchasing this nightclub and am in the process of looking for a fresh nightly act" Dracula responded, noticing the strange looks he was getting from the other men in the room "I must say your band caught my eye tonight"

"Wow" Garnet said, astonished "That sounds wonderful...my band mates and I were looking for this sort of opportunity"

"Yeah, it's almost like you read our minds" Jason said, mulling over the thought of being the nightly feature at Eternity.

Without warning, Dracula burst into laughter. Marty and Chris exchanged a weird look.

"Hardly that" he chuckled, smirking as his eyes took in every part of Garnet "I have an eye for talent...and, judging by the way the crowd responded tonight, you will be a hit"

"Is your purchase a sure thing?" Marty asked, folding his arms across his chest "We need a guarantee before anything else"

Dracula looked at him sharply before answering.

"I am a serious person" he said sternly, his sharp gaze frozen on his face "I seldom make offers unless everything is in order. On that note, I assure you that the final paperwork will be signed tomorrow. I trust I can have your decision by then"

Marty opened his mouth to reply but was cut short.

"I assure you that our decision will be made by then" Garnet said, giving Marty a dark look "It will be a collective decision by all of us"

"Then it's settled" Dracula said, turning to move towards the door "I will see you at 9:00 tomorrow night in the VIP room"

With that, he walked out of the dressing room, closing the door behind him.

"I can't believe this" Garnet said, shaking her head in awe "Just like that"

"I don't trust that guy" Marty said, making a face "Did you see the way he was looking at Garnet? He probably wants to make her the star"

"Come off it!" Chris said, giving Marty a look "You don't trust anyone who looks at Garnet. I admit he's weird, but I think we have a real good opportunity here"

"I agree" Jason said on Chris' behalf "This is what we wanted. We could get a nice paycheque for nightly shows"

"I'm not telling him no" Garnet said defiantly, giving Marty a glare "This is our chance at exposure! All the big bands got their start in clubs. We could really use this"

Realizing he was outvoted, Marty let out a sigh of defeat...

... It was an easy enough matter to convince the nightclub owner to sell the club. After all, what good were powers of persuasion if they couldn't be used for personal gain?

Standing in his study at Carfax Abbey, Dracula smiled, knowing that his quest for Garnet was coming to fruition. This was the first step of many to get into her life.

"Ah, beautiful Garnet" he murmured, picturing her as he saw her onstage earlier "It will only be a matter of time until you are my bride. I will set you high above the rest"

He knew he had to find a way to separate her from her three male friends who were obviously protective of her; but, that was no challenge at all. After all, Dracula was the King of his kind.

Memories flooded his immortal subconscious as he thought of Lucy Seward. In many ways, Garnet was quite similar to her. Both had strong personalities that he enjoyed. They both also had the same hourglass figure that he liked in women. Although quite similar, Garnet had a ladylike grace in the way she talked that Lucy oh so desperately lacked...strong-willed she was, but she was careful in the way she spoke to people.

His memories than switched to that fateful day when Lucy was literally ripped out of his arms. He felt his anger rise as he remembered the bullets he took from Jonathan Harker's revolver and the frighteningly hot sun that nearly killed him. He recalled with horror at the terrible stinging fiery pain he endured just to lose Lucy.

Mind back to the present, he thought of Garnet again, smiling at the next step of the plan he was going to execute...

... That night, Garnet sat in her hotel room, mulling over the day's events. She couldn't believe her band's good luck.

As soon as she and her band mates returned to the hotel, she sent a quick email to her friends and family back home in Edmonton, telling them of their success and their possible future in London.

Meeting this 'Count Dracula' was a dream come true. Garnet had been a fan of Vampire lore since the age of 8, where she first read an abridged version of "Dracula". She knew it was virtually impossible to come face to face with the real Dracula, but often wondered what it would be like to be in his presence. Over the years, she had seen many versions of him, but enjoyed Frank Langella's portrayal of him the most.

Garnet suddenly smiled to herself, remembering how this 'Count' looked a lot like the actor who portrayed him when this movie was first released. Both had the same aquiline nose, thick brows, and full sensual lips. The thick dark hair was similar as well. Their voices were almost the same. It was like stepping into her own modern version of the movie.

Sighing, she stepped out onto the balcony overlooking the crowded streets of London. From where she was standing, she could see the outline of Carfax Abbey looming above the streets. The full moon was high in the air, surrounded by an endless smattering of stars in the darkened twilight. Garnet loved the night.

"I wonder what we're getting ourselves into" she murmured, her eyes locked on Carfax Abbey...


	3. A Coincidence Yet Again

Disclaimer: I own nothing!

... The next evening, Garnet and her Blood Lust entourage headed to Eternity to meet with 'Count Dracula'. Each member of the foursome mulled over their private thoughts about the possible outcomes of this night.

Garnet was dressed to impress. She knew the deal they were going to make with the mysterious man was a delicate one and she wanted nothing to ruin this night. As the foursome walked inside the club, she smoothed a crease in her satin knee-length spaghetti strap black dress. She had put half her hair up in an elegant style and wore a smart blazer over the dress.

She also made sure the men wore their finest black suits. There was no way in hell that she would let them get by with casual clothing.

"Do you think he's here already?" Chris whispered, looking at the clock above the bar "We're a few minutes early"

"Only one way to find out" Jason said, turning towards the VIP room "We go in"

They all walked into the VIP room, where the 'Count' was already seated, surrounded by three beautiful women. Marty's jaw dropped as he got a look at the way the ladies were dressed. One could hardly call them ladies due to the somewhat skimpy outfits they wore, but they wore them well. One was blonde, the second was a brunette and the third was a redhead.

Chris shook his head, astonished...he knew the preferences of the other two men and wondered if it was a coincidence that there was one of each women for each man's individual taste.

Jason led them closer, noticing that the 'Count' was in deep conversation with the ladies. By the words that he had heard the 'Count' say, he knew it wasn't English. As they came closer, the Count noticed them, a smile coming to his full lips.

"Ah, good evening" he greeted the foursome, standing up from his chair "I trust you have made your decision"

"We have" Jason said, noticing how the 'Count' kept his eyes locked on Garnet in a predatory manner "We will accept your offer"

"Splendid" he said, strolling up to Garnet "I look forward to working with you"

With that, he took her hand and kissed it. Garnet fought not to shiver at his chilled touch. The three women eyed the other three men hungrily.

"There is much we need to work out" Jason said, trying not to notice the women "We will be drafting out a contract, will we not?"

"Gentlemen" the 'Count' said, gesturing towards the three women "Allow me to introduce Elyse, Magda and Katerina"

As if on cue, the women strolled up to them. As they approached the men, it was almost as if they read their minds as to what their tastes were.

"Hello there" Elyse, the brunette said to Marty. She took his arm and ran her hand up and down.

"So nice to meet you" Katerina, the blonde beauty said to Chris as she ran her hand up and down his chest.

"Such a pleasure" sighed Magda as she slid an arm around Jason's waist.

At that moment, Garnet couldn't help but feel the tiniest bit left out. Little did she know what was in store for her.

"Come, Garnet" the 'Count' said, leading her to the table "We have much to discuss"

"What about my band mates?" she asked, noticing with amusement at how her friends were acting around the unworldly beautiful women.

"The ladies will take care of them for now" he said, pulling out a chair for her. As she sat down, Dracula made eye contact with the other women, who nodded in return before leading the men out of the room.

Garnet was thrilled. Never in a million years would she expect to have some time alone with the 'Count'.

"Tell me, Garnet" Dracula said as he sat down regally in his chair "How do you like Europe so far?"

"It's definitely a far cry from Canada" she said wistfully, obviously thinking of home "But I love it here...everyone is so cultured"

"Yes, a rare trait indeed" he said, the tiniest hint of a smile on his face "I am wholly amazed at how uncultured some people are in this day and age"

As they got to talking, Garnet felt more at ease with this enigmatic man. He was very cultured and intelligent...something her band mates lacked for the most part.

"May I ask you what your real name is?" Garnet asked politely, wanting to learn more about him "I find it strange just to call you Count Dracula"

"I am Vlad Tepes of the clan Dracul" he replied, unsmiling "The real Dracula was a direct ancestor of mine."

"So then, technically you are a Count" Garnet said, leaning back in her chair. "You weren't pulling my leg at all"

"Miss Glacius" he said formally, templing his fingers "I haven't the slightest idea of what other people have told you but I am who I say I am"

Something in the back of her mind told Garnet that he was telling the truth. What she didn't know was that the thought came from him.

"I believe you" she said quietly, avoiding his stare momentarily "It's just that in this day and age, there are a lot of imposters out there"

"I agree" Dracula said, his harsh expression softening slightly "I know it's easy for you to be sceptical, but you have nothing to fear from me"...


	4. The Obsessive Devotion

Author's Note: I know by now you're wondering a lot of things about my story. First things first; Garnet is loosely based on me (fact: I read an abridged version of Dracula when I was 8 years old and am obsessed with Dracula...I admit it lol) and some of her character traits were adopted from mine. I'm sure you're wondering about the three ladies (Magda, Elyse and Katerina)...I decided to use the idea of Dracula's three women (this is a reference to the three vampire women Jonathan Harker encountered in Bram Stoker's creation but decided to make one of them a redhead for obvious purposes). If you have any other questions, feel free to ask them in reviews!

DISCLAIMER: I own nothing!

... "What makes you think I am afraid of you?" Garnet asked, curious at his choice of words.

Dracula paused, taking a long searching look at her before answering.

"I sense that you're a very guarded individual" he said, his eyes searching hers for something "I'm also sensing something else...maybe intrigue"

"I'm very intrigued" Garnet remarked, leaning in closer so that her hair spilled over her shoulder "But I'm sure you hear that a lot from other women"

Dracula smiled, sensing the hint of jealousy in her voice. He could tell she was jealous of the three beauties he had chosen specifically to distract Garnet's male entourage.

"I'm glad you're intrigued, Miss Glacius" he said, leaning closer as well, giving Garnet another penetrating stare "You are a most rare kind of woman, I must say. I believe I am more intrigued by you than anything else"

Garnet smiled.

"I must confess that the three beauties were of my doing" he added, enjoying the sparkle in her dark eyes as she listened "Although I am very interested in all four of you on a business level, there's something that draws me to you."

'Too good to be true' Garnet thought, blushing lightly as his eyes roamed up and down her shapely body 'It must be a dream'

"No, it's not a dream" Dracula suddenly said, jerking Garnet out of her thoughts. Had he read her mind?

"How did you know that was what I was thinking?" Garnet demanded, stunned "Did you invade my brain?"

"You're an easy person to read, Miss Glacius" he said, his full lips curving into yet another smile "Your eyes say it all...they are the window to the soul"

"You're a very deep person, Vlad" she replied, almost dreamily as she looked into his fathomless dark eyes "You have to be one of the most unique men I've ever met...I must say it is very refreshing"

"In that case" he replied, the searching smile frozen on his face "I would like to request your presence at a private dinner tomorrow night at my home"

Garnet looked at the man before her in disbelief before she regained her composure.

"What about my band mates?" she asked, not wanting to step on their toes by accepting his offer "I don't want to impose"

"I trust their new companions will keep them busy for a while" Dracula said, a mysterious smile upon his full lips "I hope you will join me for dinner tomorrow night"

"In that case, I accept" Garnet said, nodding "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't interested, Vlad"

"Then it's settled" he confirmed, leaning back in his chair "I live at Carfax Abbey...I will send a car around for you around 8 o'clock."

"I'm staying at the downtown Hilton" she replied, stunned that he lived in the very place the mythical Dracula stayed in. She couldn't believe her luck.

"I will see you then" he said, smiling in anticipation of the events to come...

... Much later, Garnet stood in her hotel room, still in disbelief over what had transpired earlier.

"I can't believe it" she murmured to herself as she sat in the chair overlooking the window "It's like he stepped out of my dreams and appeared in real life. I've never met anyone like him."

Scenes from her favourite version of Dracula flooded her subconscious as she remembered how Frank Langella perfected the role. It was so uncanny to her at how those two men were so alike. If she didn't know any better, she'd believe that they were one and the same. But, that was virtually impossible given Vlad's apparent pedigree.

She couldn't help but think of the feeling that overcame her every time she was in his presence. Whenever he gave her one of his penetrating stares, it almost felt like she had stepped into a bath of erotic oils. The effect he was having on her was amazing.

"Oh, how lucky I am" she sighed as she stood up lazily "A date with a handsome, mysterious Frank Langella clone"

She moved towards her bed and let herself fall backwards onto it dreamily.

"I can't wait to see what will happen next"...

... Dracula smiled, closing his cell phone. The girls did their job for the night and were going to do the same while he was going to entertain Garnet. Everything was falling into place so impeccably that it seemed almost too easy for him.

During their conversation that night, he read her thoughts. Much to his chagrin, he found out how obsessed she was with him...well, his "ancestor". It would make things so much easier for him. She would be clay in his hands.

It was an easy matter to peer into her mind and it thrilled him in ways that reading Lucy's mind couldn't. Her intelligence was intoxicating, not to mention her exotic beauty. Thinking of her almost made him feel mortal.

"Ah Garnet" he marvelled, his eyes closed as he pictured her "In so many ways you could complete me. We could rule the world together...the immortal King and Queen...what a fine Queen you would make as my bride of darkness"

He pictured himself giving her his kiss of death and then having her drink his blood afterwards. He knew it would be an even deeper sensual experience than it was with Lucy...he could sense it. Garnet was already under his spell...all he had to do was complete the necessary steps to take her as his bride...


	5. These Moonlight Desires

DISCLAIMER: I own nothing!

Jason was able to get away from Magda at around one o'clock in the morning with a promise to see her the next night at the club. He felt bad for ditching Garnet and leaving her with their new eccentric benefactor. He hoped she wasn't upset with him and the other two, whom he hadn't seen since he left the club with the ravishing red-headed beauty.

After returning to his hotel room, he sat there briefly, summoning up the courage to go to Garnet and apologize to her. Several moments later, he was at her door knocking.

The door opened to reveal Garnet in her gold nightgown. Jason's eyes widened as he took a look at her curvy body and averted his stare.

"H..hi Garnet" he said, his voice full of remorse "I'm sorry we ditched you and left you with 'Count Dracula'. I hope you're not mad at us"

Garnet looked at him oddly before stepping aside to let him in. He did so and moved towards the chair nearest the door.

"You have nothing to worry about" Garnet said, almost dreamily as she closed the door behind him "I had a wonderful time talking to him."

"Oh, I'm glad" Jason said, forcing a smile to his lips as he kept thinking about how nice she looked in the long spaghetti strap nightgown "Did you find out his real name?"

"Yes" she replied, sitting on the edge of her bed to face him "His name is Vlad Tepes"

Jason arched an eyebrow.

"He can't be Vlad Tepes...he's pulling your leg again!" he exclaimed, shaking his head ruefully.

"No...he's a descendant of the other Vlad" she exclaimed patiently "He's not as weird as he seemed before"

"I'll take your word for it" Jason said, shrugging as he noticed how one of her straps were slipping off the smooth creamy skin of her bare shoulder...it was in danger of falling and revealing what looked like a perfect set of breasts. He felt a tad uncomfortable as he felt himself harden in front of her.

"I trust your night with Magda went well" Garnet remarked as she noticed how uncomfortable he was all of a sudden.

"Ah yeah" Jason replied sheepishly, blushing slightly "She's quite the woman. I've never met anyone like her"

"I see" was all Garnet could say. Jason bit his lip as he tried to suppress the sudden desire he had for his best friend of ten years. Never before had he noticed her beauty until now. He was slowly becoming mad with desire.

"I'm going to see her again tomorrow night" he said, leaning back in the chair lazily "I hope we have as much fun tomorrow as we had tonight"

"Happy for you" Garnet said drily "Vlad asked me to dinner tomorrow night at his place. I accepted his invitation"

Jason frowned. He suddenly realized that something odd was going on between the Count and Garnet. He then brushed it off as jealousy.

"I see that look in your eyes" Garnet said, looking straight at him with a knowing frown "You don't approve"

"It's not that" he tried to explain "It just feels like something odd is going on"

"Oh" Garnet replied brightly, suddenly smiling "Good...I'd hate to cancel on him. He's the most enigmatic man I've ever met"

Jason felt a pang of jealousy as he studied the smitten look on her face. He was definitely jealous of their benefactor. He wondered what the 'Count' had that he lacked. He also felt something else that he couldn't put his finger on...maybe a sense of dread on Garnet's behalf.

"Be careful" was all he could say to her as he mulled over his thoughts...

... Garnet tossed and turned in her bed, sleeping almost fitfully. After she bade Jason good night, she realized how hot it was in the room and opened her window.

The cool breeze caressed her face as she slept, nearly completing her nocturnal journey into a pleasurable oblivion. She was completely unaware of the presence of a stranger on the roof above her room...

... It was an easy enough matter to find the hotel she stayed in. As he stood on the roof, Dracula heard her toss and turn, her heart beating a beacon for his heightened senses.

Smiling darkly, he spread his cloak about him like bat's wings and began his lizard-like descent to her window. Grasping the wall and moving down, he reached her balcony and landed on his feet.

He couldn't resist seeing her at this moment. He wanted it to be the first of many nocturnal visits to her. He wanted his visits to be something to remember.

Noticing that her window was open, he willed himself into mist and entered her room. As he stood there, he saw the outline of her in the bed, sleeping peacefully like an angel.

The full moon shone through the room, illuminating her creamy skin and her golden satin nightgown. Words could not describe how beautiful she looked in the depths of peaceful slumber. A million poets could never describe her beauty in sleep.

Sighing with satisfaction, he moved to her bedside and watched her sleep. As he stood there, he went into her subconscious to see what she was dreaming of.

It was undoubtedly him. What a sheer stroke of luck it was that Frank Langella was his twin in appearance and mannerisms. He loved how he was portrayed in that movie. It made things so much simpler for him, especially in regards to Garnet.

The sweet scent of her blood met his nostrils and he lost himself in the scent of her sweet ambrosia. He moved closer, his mind reeling with anticipation as her scent became stronger.

He willed himself into mist again, now appearing behind her as a pillow. Wrapping his arms around her, he breathed in the sweet oceanic scent of her hair and relished the warm feel of her body.

"Sleep well, my best beloved one" he murmured as he heard her sigh with pleasure in her sleep "I have big plans for you"

With that, he stayed awake for the rest of the night, listening to the beating of her heart...


	6. Aftershocks

DISCLAIMER: I own nothing!

... Garnet awoke the next morning with butterflies in her stomach. She was really looking forward to her dinner date with Vlad...so much in fact that she had endless dreams of him.

Her favourite one of the bunch was him appearing out of mist in her hotel room and silently watching her before gently cradling her in his arms. She had often fantasized about it after watching the 1979 version of Dracula many times...but now, it almost felt like reality.

Oh, she was such a romantic at heart! She was thrilled by the prospect of nocturnal visits and secret desires. She knew better though...it would be nearly impossible for him to get into her room the way he did in her dreams.

As she showered and got dressed for breakfast, she recalled a particular scene where Frank Langella kissed Kate Nelligan passionately before trailing his lips across the curve of her jaw and nibbling at her earlobe. She absently wondered if Vlad would do the same as his twin.

After getting ready, she grabbed her purse and headed downstairs to meet her band mates at their usual time. She got into the elevator and took the long ride down, wondering how breakfast was going to go after her encounter with Jason last night.

Although he had tried to hide it (and failed miserably), Garnet noticed he was full of desire for her. She would have been blind not to notice the physical effects. In addition, she noticed the hint of jealousy in Jason's voice when he told her to be careful. After all, she was a grown woman and could handle herself. She wasn't about to let a jealous man prevent her from going out with the most enigmatic man she'd ever met.

As she headed towards the dining room, she muffled her surprise at seeing only Jason and Marty at the table. She wondered where Chris was.

"Good morning!" she said cheerily as she sat down at the table "How was your night?"

"Oh it was mind-blowing!" Marty exclaimed, shaking his head in awe "Elyse is the most gorgeous girl I've ever met. The Count has very good taste in women"

"Speaking of which, where's Chris?" Garnet asked "Did he return to his room?"

"Yeah, he did" Jason said with a hint of coldness in his voice "We knocked on his door this morning but he said he wasn't feeling very well and told us to go on without him"

"I hope he's okay" Garnet murmured, as the waiter poured her a glass of fresh squeezed orange juice from a carafe. "It's not like him to get sick...he rarely gets sick"

"Maybe he just didn't get a lot of sleep" Marty said with a knowing smirk "I bet that's what it is"

Garnet snickered at his explanation.

"Anyways" Jason broke in, his face a serious mask "We need to set up a meeting with the Count to finalize our deal and draft a contract"

"Earth to Jason!" Marty exclaimed, waving a hand in front of his face "He will come to us when he is ready! Let us enjoy the company of the gorgeous women he oh-so-generously sent to us"

Garnet smiled as she got up and headed towards the breakfast buffet. She had a feeling that everything would fall into place at the right time. Jason was too impatient...

... As it turned out, Chris slept for most of the day. It was well near 3 o'clock in the afternoon when he finally woke up. He had definitely slept like the dead.

As he showered and shaved, he recalled with great relish the wonderful time he had with Katerina. She was unlike any woman he had ever met. He loved the musical sound of her laughter when he showed off his sarcastic sense of humor. She was also the most beautiful girl he had ever seen.

If there was anything he could pick as the highlight of the previous night, it would have been their make-out session. She attacked his erogenous zones like there was no tomorrow and he loved how she kept nibbling at his neck.

Mind back to the present and ready to meet his band mates before meeting up with Katerina, he put on his shoes and headed out the door...

... "Sorry I'm late" Chris said as he caught up with the other three in Garnet's room "I didn't get much sleep last night"

Garnet flashed him a knowing smirk and giggled.

"What?" Chris asked confusedly "What's so funny?"

"I don't know what you did last night, but man, you have the biggest hickey I've ever seen" Marty exclaimed, laughing.

"You're yanking my chain, right?"

"Nope" Jason said, rolling his eyes "You better take a look at it"

Chris went into Garnet's bathroom to examine his neck...sure enough there was a sizeable hickey near his jugular. It was unlike any hickey he had ever seen or received.

Sure, there was the normal bruising that came with hickeys but as he took a closer look, he notice two holes that looked like pinpricks or something like it. He ran a fingertip across the holes and shivered with pleasure at the pure feel of it.

Smirking, he walked out of the bathroom and headed back to his band mates.

"What can I say?" he exclaimed, acting like he was stud of the year "I'm irresistible"

Garnet threw a pillow at his head and succeeded. His rear end made untimely contact with the lush carpeted floor.

"So I take it that you men all have dates with the gleesome threesome" she said, catching the pillow as Chris threw it back at her after standing up.

"It looks like it" Jason said, winter in his voice. Garnet fought the urge to roll her eyes.

"Well, it works out" she replied, uncrossing her legs "I have a dinner date with the Count"

"Why am I not surprised?" Marty said, laughing and shaking his head "I knew something was up with him"

"Look" Garnet said pointedly, her voice nearly in a hiss "I talked with him last night and he is nowhere as weird as he was when we first met him. I don't see any harm in having dinner with him"

"She's right" Chris said, coming to her defense "I think she's much safer with him than some stranger off the street. I see no problem in their dinner date"

"I suppose you're right" Marty said, shrugging "After all, it wouldn't be fair for us to have all the fun while she's left out"

Garnet turned to Jason, smiling triumphantly. He sighed, rolling his eyes again.

"Whatever" he muttered "You're a big girl...I'm not your father...Go enjoy yourself!"...


	7. Some Fairy Tales Do Come True

DISCLAIMER: I own nothing.

The hours crawled by, making Garnet impatient. Nothing she did that day made the time go by faster. It seemed like 8 o'clock was an eternity away.

She spent most of the afternoon practicing new songs she had written when they arrived in London and spent an hour or so trying to settle on the perfect outfit. She had finally decided on a long red crushed velvet gown with long sleeves, a gold silken braid embroidered on the bodice where the skirt flared out and gold lace where the neck ended in a v. Every time she put it on, she felt like a princess. It was her special dress.

She had bought it a couple of years ago on an impulse and refused to wear it until the right occasion. Two years later, the occasion had seemingly arrived...after all; he was sort of a Prince. She felt like the protagonist of a fairy tale, eagerly awaiting what would happen later on.

Six o'clock arrived and she took a long shower, using her cherry blossom body wash instead of her usual quick fix of soap. After that, she used her Warm Amber shimmering lotion to moisturize, making it look like she was made from the stars. She then took her time curling her long hair in soft, simple waves before pinning half of it up with a golden pin adorned with rubies. She also took extra time applying golden eye shadow with black eyeliner for a stunning Egyptian-like effect. Her lipstick was a light red stain with pink red gloss on top for effect. Blush adorned her high cheekbones and her perfume, Pure Poison by Dior, was a heavenly scent.

After selecting a pair of gorgeous red velvet high heeled sandals out of her closet, she slipped into the dress. She flounced into her bathroom to admire her reflection before she put her shoes on. By the time she was ready to go, it was quarter to eight.

Five minutes had passed when there was a knock at her door. Grabbing her red velvet clutch, she answered it to see a gentleman standing there. He had a black double breasted linen suit on and clutched a top hat in his hands.

"Miss Glacius" he said to her wordless greeting "I am your driver for the evening. Allow me to escort you to your carriage"

'Carriage?' Garnet thought, momentarily stunned before she regained her composure and grabbed her room key off of the table next to the door. Shaking her head, she knew that Vlad was full of surprises and would more than likely never cease to amaze her.

After closing the door of her hotel room, she followed the driver downstairs to where the carriage was waiting. She suppressed a gasp of wonder when she saw the two black stallions tethered to it. Although the carriage had no roof, she couldn't help but feel that she was part of her favourite movie.

The journey to Carfax took about ten minutes by horse, but it was enjoyable. Garnet enjoyed the stares and looks of envy as she looked at the people passing by. As they reached the gates of Carfax, Garnet felt her heart pound with excitement. It was now only a matter of minutes before she would be in his presence.

After stopping in front of the cathedral-like doors, the driver got out and helped her out of the carriage. She climbed the steps to the doorway as the driver steered the carriage out of sight. Smoothing out an imaginary crease in her skirt, she knocked on the door. She had to muffle a gasp as the door opened on its own.

She tentatively took a step inside, glancing at the marble floors. It was obvious that a lot of work was done in this place. Two staircases, with rails moulded into gargoyles loomed in front of her. Candles flickered everywhere giving the area a decidedly intimate look.

Deciding against making her presence known, Garnet surveyed the area with wonder. She was thrilled to be in such an unworldly beautiful building.

"Ah Garnet, so you've arrived" she heard Vlad say from above. She looked up to see him descending the stairs towards her, a welcoming smile on his face. As always, he was dressed in an immaculate Victorian style suit minus his usual cape.

"Good evening, Vlad" Garnet replied, watching his descent.

"I am glad to have you here this evening" he said approaching her swiftly and taking her hand. After kissing it, he then murmured "Let me see to your comfort"...

... Marty sat in one of the chairs in the VIP room of the club, staring at Elyse in disbelief. Since the fateful meeting with the 'Count', all four friends were permitted lifetime access and control of the VIP room. A bouncer blocked the doorway, looking on so that Marty and Elyse could enjoy themselves.

Well, enjoying himself was putting it lightly. They had danced on the dance floor, doing an incredibly erotic dance before she took his hand and led him to the VIP room. With a light giggle, Elyse sat him in one of the chairs and began some seduction of her own.

Dancing to some internal rhythm, she began a striptease. Marty was in seventh heaven. She had slowly stripped down to a black lace thong and bra, keeping her knee high leather stiletto boots on. With torturous swivels of her curvy hips, she danced over to him and backed herself into his lap before rubbing against him with the sleekness of a cat.

'God, I love this' Marty thought with a grin as Elyse wrapped her cool arms around his neck and sat in his lap 'If this is heaven, I never want to leave'

His eyes rolled back in pleasure as Elyse's lips kissed a trail down to his jugular...

... "I take it you enjoyed your journey here" Dracula said as they sat at the great table, which was adorned with many dishes.

"It was amazing" Garnet replied dreamily before taking a small bite of her paprika hendl "I felt like I was in a fairy tale"

"I suppose it seems that way" he said, a sly smile creeping across his face "I must assume that I am your version of Prince Charming"

"Something like that" Garnet replied, taking a sip of the white wine a servant had poured for her. "I know it sounds childish but it's a wonderful feeling"

He gave her an intense smile and said nothing for many moments. Garnet ate the rest of her food in the silence.

"I must say that I love how you look in your gown" he said, smiling appreciatively "Red suits you well. It's one of my favourite colors"

"Thank you" Garnet said, blushing at his compliment as the servant took her finished food away "It's the first time I've ever worn it. I'm glad you approve"

"Was it recently purchased?"

"I bought it two years ago but couldn't think of a perfect occasion to wear it" Garnet replied "Well, until tonight"

"Well, I am honoured" he marvelled, standing up from his throne-like chair. "Allow me to give you the grand tour"

With a smile, Garnet stood up as he approached her and took his outstretched hand...


	8. My Best Beloved

DISCLAIMER: I own nothing.

Jason stood in his hotel room, staring out the window wordlessly. He absently wondered what Garnet was up to at that very moment. He couldn't put his finger on it, but he felt that something wasn't right.

"Why?" he murmured to himself, rubbing his unshaven chin in thought "Why are we all separated like this tonight? It's really strange how convenient everything is...especially how the women came about."

He knew it couldn't just be coincidence that these three women, well suited to each man's individual taste, suddenly appeared and were enamoured by them. Jason couldn't help but smell a rat in regards to the whole situation.

A sharp knock on the door made him break out of his thoughts. He opened the door to see Magda standing there, a mischievous smile on her face. Her brilliant straight red hair was pinned up in a French twist and her black dress was decidedly classy. She stepped forward, her sparkling aquamarine eyes catching Jason's attention.

"Hello Jason" she said in her breathless voice...the voice of an angel "I decided to surprise you and come here. I'm sure you're tired of the club already"

Jason lost himself in the depths of her bright eyes, succumbing to her.

"Come in, Magda" he said, flashing a devastating smile "I'm so glad you came here tonight"

"I am so glad we are in sync with each other" she said, wrapping her arms around his neck before she kissed him eagerly. He responded to the kiss, letting his hands trail down to her small, firm buttocks.

"Would your feelings be hurt if I asked you a couple of questions before we get into anything else?" he asked, taking her by the hand and leading her to his bed.

"Not at all" she said, giving him a devastating smile of her own "Ask away"

"Did Vlad ask you to entertain me last night?" he asked, hating how pathetic he sounded "How do you know him?"

Magda looked at him, her aquamarine eyes widening in disbelief. She soon erupted into peals of laughter.

"Heavens no" she replied, chuckling "My friends and I just met him last night. He was looking for silhouette dancers and approached us to see if we wanted to do it."

"Oh" Jason said, feeling stupid as he mulled over her answer "I'm sorry for asking...it seemed so sudden"

"Don't you worry" Magda said, wrapping her arms around his neck "I was attracted to you the moment I first saw you. You are the most handsome man in the world"

"You sure know how to make a guy feel wanted" Jason replied, kissing her on the cheek.

Magda's easy smile hid any indication of the lies she had just told him...

... "This is the final room of the tour" Dracula said, leading Garnet into the modern drawing room "This is where I spend a good portion of my time reading and listening to music"

He gestured towards the walls lined with bookcases and an obviously expensive stereo system sitting on a table against the wall. Garnet's eyes widened at his expansive collection of books.

Dracula smiled at her childlike wonder. It was an almost endearing feature in her that he liked. He moved up behind her as her eyes roamed over the bookcases.

"What are you thinking?" he whispered as he leaned over her shoulder, although he knew what was running through her thoughts.

"I'm thinking that it would take a lifetime to read all of these books" Garnet responded, admiring some rare leather volumes in a glass case nearby. "Maybe even an eternity"

She then turned to face him, intoxicated by how close he was standing to her. The scent of his cologne wafted in her nostrils and she began to feel that delicious sensual feeling she had in his presence.

"Would you care to dance?" he asked, giving her a long, searching look before heading to his stereo system.

"I would love to" she responded, glancing momentarily out of the sliding doors overlooking the balcony. She could see the whole city from where she was standing.

He put on a CD and soon, the classy sounds of "Baker Street" by Gerry Rafferty filled the room.

"Wow" she breathed, as he approached her slowly like a predator. "I love this song"

He encircled her in his arms and they swayed sensually to the music. A self-confessed 'two-left-feet' kind of girl, Garnet had no problems keeping up with him. She closed her eyes momentarily, enjoying his lead and how his hands were firmly on her waist. She gave herself into the moment allowing him to lead her anywhere.

The song ended and she felt his movements cease. She opened her eyes to look out the window.

"Look at me" he gently commanded, letting his cool fingertips trail upwards before they stopped at the curve of her jaw. Garnet obeyed, looking into his hypnotic eyes.

She saw something in them that could only be described as pure unadulterated desire as he stroked her cheeks and lips.

"Moonlight Desires" by Gowan began to play as he moved his face so close to hers that their lips touched.

"Garnet, would you like me to kiss you?" he asked, almost in a whisper as he looked deep into her eyes.

The sensuous feeling in her escalated into a full blown frenzy, making her desire for him surge through her body. This was something she had wanted all along.

"Kiss me" she pleaded, her eyes locked on his "Please kiss me"

He cradled her face with his fingertips and began to kiss her so sensually that she thought she might faint. She managed to regain her composure, returning the kiss as she put her arms around his neck and buried her fingers in his soft hair. Just like she had fantasized before, his hair felt cool, thick, and a little wild.

His lips trailed from her mouth to her cheek...then her chin...then traced the curve of her jaw to the sensitive spot near her jugular. Hearing her pulse quicken through his sensual ministrations, he trailed his lips to her earlobe and gently nibbled on it before landing a soft butterfly kiss on it. He then pulled away from her.

She stared at him with deep lust, her lips swollen from his passionate kiss. He knew she wanted more.

With an animal-like grunt, he picked her up and carried her to the plush leather couch by the glass bookcases...


	9. Sweet Surrender

DISCLAIMER: I own nothing.

... Dracula gently laid Garnet on the couch, all of his nerve endings sizzling with excitement and rapture. Here she was in her prime, like a ripe strawberry, just waiting to be taken by him. He moved on top of her halfway, running his fingers through her dark silken hair. Finding the ruby clip that held the rest into place, he removed it with the slightest flick of the wrist. The rest of her hair cascaded down, smothering his fingers as his desire for her raged on.

Looking down at her from where he was, he leaned in closer, breathing her in. She surrounded his senses like a sensual mist, exciting him in ways he'd never thought possible. As he looked deep into her eyes, he sensed her descent into his control. She reached out to touch him and he permitted her to cup his face.

"Sweet Garnet" he murmured as he bent down even closer "I need you...I...need..."

That being said, Garnet was suddenly swept into his embrace, her mouth under assault as his strangely cool body melded into hers; almost like spoons in a drawer. He then gave her butterfly kisses down from her chin...down the curve of her jaw...to the hollow between her full breasts...down to her slim belly. He then reared up, moving to kiss a hand she cradled his jaw with.

At that moment, he knew he couldn't wait any longer...he had to have her now. He felt too much like a mortal as he pulled her into a sitting position and held her. His acute desire raged on, prompting his need to take her to the rarely used master bedroom.

Smiling sensually, he let go of her and stood up, looking into her sparkling dark eyes. He knew what she was wanting and decided then that it was time for the both of them to give into their desires.

Without so much of a warning, he swept her up in his arms again...

... Katerina walked down the familiar path to Eternity, where she was supposed to meet Chris. She knew she was doing this for her Dark Lord and wanted to please him.

Before she was assigned to Chris, she had sought Vlad's attentions many times recently, but getting the same negative result. She remembered a couple of weeks ago, when she first awoke as a creature of the night, how he lavished attention on her and the other two women. But, as the time passed on, she sensed him becoming distant towards them. She knew it was around the time he met that girl he was currently seducing. The thought of him lavishing his attention on Garnet made her blood boil. She wondered what this girl had that she didn't. She was definitely in a reckless mood that night.

Tossing her silky mane of platinum blonde hair over her shoulder with a simple shake of her head, Katerina rolled her icy blue eyes at her dark lover's recent behaviour. She then sighed as she approached Eternity, where Chris was waiting outside for her.

'At least we get to have a little fun with these men' she thought as she approached Chris 'I suppose for now it's not so bad'...

... Carrying her over the threshold of the master bedroom like a groom on his wedding night, Dracula pulsed with anticipation as he set her down on her feet. He felt his animal-like lust consume him as he took a good look at her.

Circling her like a predator, he let his gaze roam all over her body, thrilled at how her creamy skin sparkled in the firelight. Moving behind her, he undid the braided sash of her gown and unzipped the back, letting the soft velvet caress his fingertips as it fell in a pile on the floor. His eyes widened as he took a look at what she had worn underneath...

... Garnet stood there, clad only in a dark red lace push up bra with a matching thong. She knew he liked what he saw, hearing another animal-like grunt. It thrilled her to know how much he desired her.

Soon, she heard the unceremonious sound of clothes hitting the floor. She knew he had gotten undressed and was deeply curious to see how he looked naked. She began to turn around but he stopped her.

"No" he said, making her turn her back to him before he blindfolded her with a silk black scarf that was conveniently lying on the bed before "Not yet...let me surround you, Garnet."

She obeyed with little protest, wondering what was to come...

... Standing in the firelight, fully naked, Dracula approached her from behind silently. Shivering with anticipation, he reached out and gently unhooked her bra. Pushing it down her arms ever so slightly, he glanced down at her lush curvature in its naked glory. It soon joined her dress on the floor, leaving her breasts exposed and vulnerable to his advances.

His hands sliding up her arms again, he held her close to him as he began to kiss the nape of her neck. One hand slid down her front, clutching her by the breast while the other snaked below, where he cupped his hand between her legs possessively. Garnet moaned with sheer pleasure of it all as he nipped at the tender spot at the back of her neck. He pressed closer, his oh-so-hard arousal pressing into the small of her back, making her moan again. Her moans were music to his ears...

... Garnet was drowning in sheer ecstasy as she enjoyed the coolness of his touch on her feverish body. It seemed like he knew where all her erogenous zones were and his relentless pursuit was making her ache to feel him in other parts of her.

She was taken aback when he suddenly pulled away from her. She took in a deep breath and inhaled the scent of Jasmine, Sandalwood and an elusive smell that had to be him. Cocking her head to hear his breathing, she decided to get a fix on his location and turned around, reaching out her hand. To her surprise, her fingertips touched his cool flesh as she sensed his soul calling out to hers.

Hearing a sharp intake of breath, she felt the blindfold as it was pulled harshly away from her eyes. Blinking momentarily, she moved her gaze forward towards him. Her eyes widened.

He stood there, fully naked, giving her a predatory stare. He was certainly well built for a slim man, and she noticed, with partial amusement, that he was well built everywhere. His body was the most impeccable she had ever seen. Saying she liked what she saw would be an understatement.

He then approached her, backing her into the bed, where he wasted no time in easing her on her back. Caressing the silky smooth skin of her thighs, he ran his hand down her silky leg, and removed one velvet sandal, then did the same for the other, slowly tracing a path back up her legs with both hands.

Staring at the glorious feminine feast before him, he slowly crawled on top of her, landing butterfly kisses in a trail from her navel to the hollow between her full breasts and stopping at the tip of her chin. Pulling his head back slightly, he looked into her eyes, saw his own feelings mirrored in them, and began his sensual assault on her deliciously warm body...


	10. Farewell, My Friend

DISCLAIMER: I own nothing!

... Garnet awoke some time later after their passionate tryst to see Vlad watching her, resting his head on his propped up hand. His other hand stroked the bare skin of her shoulder.

"I trust you're feeling rested" he said, taking her hand and kissing it.

"As a matter of fact, I am feeling rested" she replied, already accustomed to his cool touch. She then smiled adoringly at him.

"Garnet, may I make a request?" he asked, his expression becoming serious...almost business-like.

"Of course, Vlad" she replied curiously as he entwined his long fingers with hers.

"I don't like the thought of you and your friends staying in that hotel" he remarked, stroking her palm with his thumb "Such a waste of money. It would be a great pleasure if all of you stayed here with me at Carfax"

"Vlad" Garnet exclaimed, astonished "You're too kind. None of us want to impose on you."

"I understand" he replied seriously, closing his hand over hers "But you will be performing in my club for quite some time. I have just had a contract drafted for Blood Lust to play at Eternity for a year. I'd hate for you to waste your earnings on rent somewhere. This is a beautiful house, although regrettably empty. It would be nice to give it some life with the presence of you and your friends. Please say yes."

"I will discuss it with them"...

... The next afternoon, Garnet held a band meeting in her hotel room to inform her friends of Vlad's generous offer. As they filed into their room, she suppressed a gasp at how pale and worn out they looked.

"If it isn't the evil dead" she cracked as they all sat down "I don't know what you guys have been doing but maybe you should cut back on it for a while"

"I think we've all caught some virus from the club" Chris mumbled, looking more wan and pale than Marty and Jason "I haven't felt right since the night we told the 'Count' our decision"

"Speak for yourself" Marty said, sounding tired "I haven't slept a lot thanks to Elyse"

"Anyways" Garnet said, ending that discussion "Vlad has drafted our contract, guys. It's for a year"

"Far out!" Jason exclaimed, seemingly in better spirits "When do we get to sign the contract?"

"There's something else I have to inform you of" she added before anyone else could say anything "He wants us to stay in Carfax Abbey for the duration of our contract"

The three men looked at Garnet in shock.

"You mean that old gothic building a few blocks from the club?" Chris inquired, astonished. "I'm in"

"Me too" Marty said, excitement flashing in his deep blue eyes "I'm not about to waste valuable earnings on rent"

Jason kept his mouth shut but nodded in agreement with the other two.

"He wants us to move in as soon as possible" Garnet said excitedly "Guys, it's a gorgeous place on the inside...it's a cross between a mansion and a castle"

"We will take your word for it" Jason said hoarsely, smiling weakly "It sounds great"...

... It only took them a day to move their personal belongings and equipment to Carfax. The guys were happy that they didn't have to stay in a hotel anymore. The foursome happily signed their contract and enjoyed some rest and relaxation. Plus, their female entourage came by often to the Abbey, making everything fall into place like the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. Only one person wasn't too thrilled with the new occupants.

Katerina was still so jealous of Garnet that she could barely stand to be in the same room with her. She hated the way Dracula fawned over her and wanted to get rid of her competition.

During the first night at Carfax, Katerina and Chris stayed locked in his new room. He was becoming increasingly frail and she took great caution when getting a taste of his blood. But that night, she was ravenously thirsty and wanted nothing more than to drain Chris of his remaining pints of blood. She knew that Dracula would be very angry with her for killing Garnet's friend but she didn't care. She wanted to spite him for spurning her to be with his precious Garnet.

"I'm so glad you're here, Katerina" Chris said hoarsely as he lay down in bed "I've been feeling so weak lately"

"Awwwww I know what you need" Katerina said soothingly, climbing on top of him and rubbing his chest "You'd like some butterfly kisses"

Chris smiled and nodded. The beautiful blonde leaned down and kissed him deeply on the lips before tracing her lips across the curve of his jaw. Chris moaned in ecstasy as her mouth lingered over the hickey that never seemed to heal. She spread her smile wide as Chris closed his eyes. Her considerably sharp canines grew in length as she reared her head up.

'Goodnight and goodbye, Chris' she thought as she buried her teeth deep into the tender flesh of his neck. Chris moaned but it quickly subsided as she began to drink. As she drank, she felt his body slowly shut down as his life force was drained through her ministrations. Soon, his eyes rolled back into his head and he went limp.

Katerina licked the last few drops that clung to her lips, smiling in satisfaction. She then licked the wound she made on his throat, licking smooth flesh when it quickly healed, signalling his death.

'Perfect' she thought, making sure there was no trace of spilled blood. When she was satisfied with the work she had done, she vanished out of the room...

... "I am so happy all of you decided to stay here with me" Dracula said as he and Garnet stood in his drawing room.

"You're being so good to us, Vlad" Garnet said as he took her hand and caressed it "I don't know what we would have done with ourselves if you hadn't come into our lives. I really appreciate everything you've done for us. It's a dream come true"

He smiled at her, thrilled at how well his plan was coming to fruition. He felt that nothing could impede on his steady progress. Little did he know that something terrible had happened...


	11. A Threat Emerges

DISCLAIMER: I own nothing. The lyrics below are the property of Don Henley and the Eagles, taken from their debut self-titled album.

_Open up your eyes; take the Devil from your mind. He's been holding onto you and you're so hard to find. The wind outside is cold; restless demon in my soul tempting me to get away but there's no place a man can go._

_God, will you lead me where I roam? Help me not to let my feelings show._

_You are the one, oh how could you be so blind? The Devil preys on runaways; he's never hard to find. The many years I've tried now have been revealed to me. Closer is the love you'll find waiting so patiently._

_God, will you lead me where I roam? Help me not to let my feelings show. Take the devil._

... If Garnet had the foresight to prevent her from discovering the ghastly sight she was about to find, she would have used it.

When Chris failed to come downstairs for supper, Garnet had decided to bring a care package upstairs for him to eat. She worried about her friend, desperate to find out the reason as to why he was wasting away.

Balancing the metal tray in her hands, she went up the gargoyle staircase and slowly made her way to the modest room he had selected for himself. Hoping some food would help him feel a little better, Garnet knocked on the door.

"Chris, it's me" she said, waiting for an answer "Can I come in? You missed supper!"

When she heard no reply, she decided he was sleeping and let herself into the room. Nothing could have prepared her for what she saw next.

Dishes and cutlery crashed to the floor when she got a look at her friend. His normally fair skin was snow white and his lips had lost all color. She screamed like a banshee.

"What's going on?" Jason demanded, crossing the threshold. By the time he saw Chris' lifeless corpse, Garnet collapsed to the floor, weeping.

Marty rushed in the room moments later, realizing something bad had happened.

"What the hell happened?" he demanded, as Jason tried to comfort Garnet "How can he be dead all of a sudden?"

"I don't know" Garnet wept into Jason's shoulder "I came in to bring him something to eat and I found him like this"

"This is bullshit, man" Jason said shrilly, still in disbelief at the death of their friend and band mate "He was totally healthy. How can he just suddenly weaken and die like that? It's just not poss--"

"What is going on here?" a deep male voice thundered in the doorway. They turned to see Vlad standing there, a harsh expression on his face.

He took a look at Garnet, who was still weeping uncontrollably, and then to the white figure on the bed. His blood began to boil when he realized what had happened. He immediately showed a saddened calm.

"Oh, Chris" he said in a more gentle voice, looking saddened "Has he left us so soon?"

"How could this have happened?" Garnet sobbed, rushing into Vlad's arms "How could he have died?"

"We best get an autopsy done on him" was all Vlad said as Garnet sobbed into his shoulder "I will spare no expense so we can all have peace of mind in this sad time"...

... After he discovered what had happened to Chris, Dracula was on the rampage. He knew what really happened to Chris and he knew who had done it to him. Standing in his secret room, he let all his anger out.

"Katerina" he hissed, his hands balling into fists "That damn blonde tart. She's the one that did this to him. The stupid fool disobeyed my orders. She shall be punished"

He paced back and forth angrily, cursing the blonde woman he had shared his bed with. He wanted her to pay for her insolence. He had to summon her.

"KATERINA!!!!!" he screamed, making the walls of his secret room shake.

"You bellowed?" she answered, appearing in the room with a smirk on her delicate face.

"I treated you well, Katerina" he said angrily, nearly hissing at her "I gave you everything you desired. Why did you disobey me? Do you know what happens to those who oppose me?"

"Yeah I remember your schpiel" she replied, rolling her blue eyes "But you're going soft, Vlad. All that for a pathetic mortal when you could have an eternity with me"

"Don't you dare question me" he said, his eyes narrowed dangerously "You are in no position to question what I do and who I involve myself with...you stupid reckless bitch...how dare you?"

"How dare you?" Katerina spat back "Feeding me with lies and making me believe that fairy tale crap you used on me. What happened to all the attention you used to lavish on me? Was it all part of your game? Seduce a woman, turn her immortal and make her unhappy?"

"Silence!" he growled, lurking closer towards her "I shall punish you for your insolence. You're nothing but a thorn in my side"

"I wouldn't make threats if I were you" she said, smiling dangerously "I know your weakness is Garnet. All I'd have to do is take her away from you and have her meet an untimely death"

The fury in his eyes told her that she was right.

"Oh yes, Vlad" she said, narrowing her eyes "You better not let your precious Garnet out of your sight or she may just disappear off the face of the earth"

"Don't you dare threaten my future bride" Dracula hissed, lunging for her with his sharp canines bared "You ever so much as look at her and I will make you meet an untimely death"

With that, he grabbed her by the throat and backed her against the wall. She laughed in response.

"Oh Vlad" she said, chuckling before willing herself to mist "You've underestimated me. I will show you what it means to cross my path and spurn me!"

"Damn you" he exclaimed, picking up a nearby vase and smashing it against the wall "DAMN YOU!!!"...


	12. Much Ado About Katerina

**DISCLAIMER:**** I own nothing!**

... For the next few days, Garnet remained in the master bedroom, refusing to get out of bed. Chris' death hit her harder than anyone would have ever anticipated. She wept off and on, refusing to see anyone. She began blaming herself for Chris' demise.

As he watched her grieve, Dracula was secretly worrying about Katerina's quest to destroy his new beloved. The death was a temporary setback for him and he roundly regretted having ever laying eyes on her. Chris' body was currently being examined for cause of death.

When he had first turned her into a vampire, he saw minute signs of clinginess in her, especially when he tried to love all three of his women equally. Elyse and Magda had no problems sharing him with each other, but Katerina was obviously much different. Whenever he lavished attention on the other two, Katerina would pout like a defiant child, making her displeasure known. Never in his lifetime would he have believed that she would go to any extreme to try and harm him. Dracula had to admit that he underestimated a girl whom he thought was just all talk.

Although sidetracked from his original plan, he knew all wasn't entirely lost and hastily made a plan to eliminate Katerina. He knew it wasn't easy to find a way to destroy her, but it had to be done before she tried anything to harm his beloved Garnet.

Mind back to the present, he approached the bed and sat on the edge.

"Garnet" he said gently, putting a consoling hand on her trembling shoulder "You must not remain in bed like this"

"It's all my fault" she whispered, avoiding eye contact with him as tears streamed down her face "I was the one who insisted on the European tour"

"This wasn't something that could have been prevented, my beloved" he said, reaching out to stroke her tear-streaked cheeks "It could have happened if you remained in your homeland"

"You don't get it" she whispered, wiping her red swollen eyes "He started feeling sick right after Katerina came into his life"

"What are you saying?" Dracula inquired as she pulled herself up into a sitting position "You think Katerina is responsible?"

"Well" she said bitterly "Chris was perfectly healthy before he met her. What else am I supposed to believe? I swear if I ever get my hands on her, I will make her wish she didn't harm him"

Her last words caught Dracula off-guard. She was more intuitive than he had originally thought. Intuitive and vengeful...two qualities that made her dangerous to him if she ever found out he had anything to do with Chris' untimely death.

"What do you think Katerina did to him?"

"She must have poisoned him or something" Garnet said, seemingly in the beginning stages of a full blown rage "You saw his body. No human wastes away that quickly unless they were poisoned"

"Perhaps it is entirely possible that she is responsible for this" he said, seemingly agreeing with her "We are still waiting on the results of the autopsy"

"If I'm right, nobody can stop me from going after her" she said, clenching her fists in anger "This is eye for an eye. She doesn't know what I'm like when I'm angry"

"Promise me you won't do anything until after we get the results" Dracula said, taking her hand and kissing it before pulling her close "I don't want anything to happen to you"...

... "I can't believe you did it" Elyse hissed, shaking her head ruefully at Katerina "You were too reckless"

"It was well worth it" Katerina replied, smirking defiantly "Do you honestly think he's going to lavish attention equally on all of us when she becomes his newest bride?"

"You have a jealousy problem" Magda said, yawning into her hand "Sharing him isn't as bad as you think. Elyse and I have had a lot of fun with him together and separately"

"Do you think he won't abandon us when he has her?" Katerina exclaimed angrily "You have no idea how it feels to be left out"

"You're a stupid jealous fool!" Elyse exclaimed, glaring at her "You would rather risk your life disobeying him than learn to cooperate!!!"

"And threatening him" Magda added, clucking her tongue "You really have some nerve. Look at everything he has done for us and given us...you ungrateful dumb bitch"

"Fine" Katerina hissed, her eyes narrowed dangerously as she circled her friends "Don't come crying to me when he's forgotten all about you. You will deserve everything you will get"

"As far as I'm concerned" Magda replied "Your death warrant has already been signed, so don't you dare bring us down"

"Neither of us are taking any part in this deception. We prefer to do what we are told" Elyse said, glaring at Katerina "You are a threat to everyone here and we don't need that"

"Then I would watch my back if I were you two" Katerina said, laughing cruelly "I'd hate to see you two cross the wrong path with fate"

"Please" Elyse scoffed, tossing her hair behind her shoulder "Spare me of your threats and get out of here!"

Hissing in defeat, Katerina glared at Elyse and Magda before disappearing into the night...

... Jason sat in Chris' room, making the final arrangements for his funeral. He had contacted Chris' family and discussed plans with them to send him home to be buried.

He knew he, Marty and Garnet had to return to Canada for the funeral; however, Garnet locked herself in the master bedroom, refusing to go anywhere. Judging by her behaviour, Jason guessed that she blamed herself for what had happened.

"Such a pity" Jason murmured, rubbing his chin in thought "She is no more to blame than the rest of us"

He emerged from his thoughts when there was a light knock on his door.

"Come in" he sighed, rubbing his eyes. The door opened and Magda entered the room.

"My poor Jason" she murmured, embracing him "Is there anything I can do to make you feel better?"...


	13. Power Struggles

DISCLAIMER: I own nothing.

... Katerina sat perched on the roof of Carfax Abbey, fuming over the fight she had with Elyse and Magda.

"Honestly" she hissed to herself, kicking at a nearby stone gargoyle statue "What gives them the right to condemn me? They are so weak and pathetic...preferring to follow his orders..."

Pushing this particular angry thought out of her head, she then focused on her plan to get rid of Garnet once and for all.

"Chris was just the beginning" she murmured to herself, staring at the night sky as she stood up "Soon, it will be Marty's turn...but not after I eliminate Elyse"

With that, she turned into a bat and flew away from the Abbey.

Little did she know that someone else was on the roof, listening to her every word...

... Garnet paced around the master bedroom as Jason and Marty sat on the bed.

"Did you hear anything on the autopsy?" Jason asked as Garnet stopped pacing momentarily.

"No" was all she said as she resumed pacing "Vlad hasn't gotten the results yet"

"I hope they release Chris' body soon" Marty said, yawning "We have to go home to bury him"

Garnet stopped to get a good look at her friends.

"You guys are looking better" she said, sighing with relief "I was scared that you were wasting away too"

"Nah" Jason said, chuckling "We were just overtired. Magda had to perform at the club the past few nights as well as Elyse. We're finally getting more rest again"...

... Magda rushed from the roof and willed herself to appear in Dracula's secret chamber, where he was sitting in his throne. She knew he wouldn't like what she was going to tell him, but she had to let him know for Elyse's sake. From the scowl on his normally calm face, she guessed he was thinking about Katerina. Sensing her presence, he looked up with questions in his dark eyes.

"Magda" he breathed, becoming more concerned as he took a look at the expression on her face "What's the matter? Is something wrong?"

"It's Elyse" Magda said, choking back the fear creeping in her voice "I think Katerina is going to do something terrible to her"

"WHAT?!!" Dracula roared, standing up swiftly, his eyes blazing with red fury "What is that reckless bitch plotting now?"

"I was on the rooftop moments ago, preparing to look at the stars" Magda explained, her aquamarine eyes wide with fear "Katerina was muttering to herself about the argument she had with us earlier over her reckless execution of Chris. Not only is she plotting to harm Garnet but she is plotting to kill Elyse as her next step after Chris"

Dracula growled, gnashing his teeth together in rage before punching a hole in the cinderblock wall. After calming down some, he slowly walked up to his trembling red haired concubine and cupped her face in his hands.

"I appreciate you coming to me with this information, Magda" he said tenderly, planting a kiss on her forehead "Please tell me that you and Elyse are not unhappy with me choosing another bride"

"Master" she said quietly, her love and adoration for him flashing in her eyes "Neither of us are unhappy about it. We've accepted our existence since it began. You've treated us so well that we could never turn a hand or thought against you"

"Then why was Katerina so unhappy?" he asked, letting go of Magda and sitting back in his throne regally like the Prince he once was "Did I not treat her well?"

"You treated us equally, master" Magda said, bowing in gratitude "It's not your fault that Katerina was clingy and jealous."

Dracula sat and pondered momentarily before using his mind to summon Elyse into the room. It was only a matter of seconds before she appeared in a flash of glitter and gold mist.

"You summoned me, Master" she said, bowing in obedience before seeing Magda "What is going on?"

"It's Katerina" Dracula explained, templing his fingers in exasperation "She plans to harm you"...

... Garnet was pacing back and forth in the drawing room when Katerina appeared in the threshold. The blonde vampire smiled evilly as Garnet looked up sharply with what could only be described as pure hate in her golden eyes.

"You" Garnet spat out in anger as Katerina advanced on her "You're responsible for Chris' death"

"Little ol' me?" Katerina drawled, laughing joylessly "Now why would I do a thing like that?"

"Don't toy with me you bitch" Garnet hissed, her eyes narrowed dangerously "I see right through you"

"Awww aren't we the supreme bitch goddess" Katerina said, smirking at the mortal girl "I'd watch that mouth if I were you...don't think that your precious Vlad will always be there to save you. He's a womanizing snake...he will turn his back on you when he finds someone else"

"Oh I get it" Garnet replied, brushing away Katerina's comments about Vlad "You fancied him and he rejected you. You're just jealous because he lavishes attention on me and not you. Last time I checked, Vlad enjoyed the company of classy women...not blonde whores"

Katerina's eyes went wide and her cerulean blue eyes flashed inhumanly with anger.

"You insolent little girl" Katerina hissed, advancing on Garnet and circling her "I shall rip your tongue out and make you eat it"

Garnet laughed, dismissing Katerina's threats.

"I'd like to see you try" Garnet scoffed, egging Katerina on "I'm not the little waif you think I am"

Katerina was at her breaking point. She disliked Garnet's dismissive attitude towards her. She clamped her teeth together in rage.

"Awww" Garnet taunted, smirking triumphantly "Is Katerina afraid of a fight? Or does she fight like a bitch?"

With a growl, Katerina lunged at Garnet, who sidestepped her. She let out a grunt as she fell to the floor. She then picked herself up and turned to face Garnet, who stood there smirking.

"Is that all you've got?" Garnet taunted, motioning for her to 'bring it on'. Katerina hissed, moving swiftly behind her and grabbing her by the hair. Her breath touched the side of Garnet's exposed neck.

"Tsk" Katerina said as Garnet struggled to get out of her death grip "Are we powerless without our prince to save us?"

"Go to hell" Garnet hissed, clawing the side of her face with her perfectly manicured gel acrylic nails. Katerina's grip tightened, making Garnet clench her teeth together to fight the urge to cry out.

"I shall slash your throat while you're still breathing" Katerina hissed, grabbing a letter opener from the fireplace mantel and brandishing it against Garnet's neck. "You will never have Vlad...NEVER"

"On the contrary" a voice said from the doorway. Katerina looked up sharply to see Dracula standing there with a scowl on his face.

"Well well well" Katerina drawled, smiling at her former lover "He does care about you after all"

"LET HER GO" Dracula thundered, his eyes ablaze with rage "She's mine"

"Come and get her" Katerina laughed, brandishing the blade closer to Garnet's jugular. With a hiss, Dracula flew behind her, taking her by surprise. He grabbed the back of her neck and squeezed hard, causing her to relinquish her grip on Garnet, who fell to the floor.

"Crazy bitch!" Garnet exclaimed, rubbing her neck as she stood up "If I ever get my hands on you, I will kick your slutty ass all over the place"

Despite her confinement, Katerina laughed. Dracula turned to Garnet.

"I have her restrained...leave this room immediately!" he commanded, willing her to follow his command. After giving Katerina a death glare, she spun on her heels and left the chamber, leaving Dracula alone with Katerina.

"You whore" he hissed angrily, his fangs fully extended as he willed the chamber door to shut "How dare you threaten her and Elyse?"

"I will do whatever I please, VLAD" Katerina said, turning herself into a bat "When you least expect it, I will make your life a living hell"

With that, she flew out of the room, her laughter filling his subconscious as he growled in rage...


	14. Autopsy Results and The Flight Home

_Author's Note:__ I am soooo sorry for leaving my fans hanging! It's been a long while since I could think of something to continue this story with but now I have it! Enjoy!_

_DISCLAIMER:__ I own nothing!_

... Garnet paced around the Great Hall, awaiting Vlad's announcement regarding Chris' autopsy. It had been a couple of days since her altercation with Katerina and she was still on the war path.

"Would you please stop pacing?" Marty sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose "It won't make the announcement come any faster, you know"

Garnet stopped and leaned against the staircase, letting out a nervous sigh.

"I've never felt so wound up in my life" she replied, closing her eyes momentarily "Instead of us planning a trip home to celebrate our success with our families, we have to bring home the body of a deceased friend...a deceased friend whose murder I am responsible for"

"Now wait just a minute" Jason exclaimed, standing up from the staircase he was sitting on "You're not to blame for Chris' death. How could you think such a thing?"

"I'm the one that did what I could to convince you guys to sign the contract, remember?"

"Do you honestly think Chris would be thinking that right now?" Marty chimed in, frowning "We all know that Katerina had something to do with it because she was with him when he died. Now if we can get those damn res--"

Marty was interrupted by the opening of the small study doors. The three of them looked up to see Vlad walking towards them, carrying a white envelope. He had a grim look about him as he made his approach.

"It is time" he said, handing the sealed envelope to Garnet "We will finally find out what caused the demise of poor Christopher"

The hounds of hell could not stop Garnet from tearing open the envelope. She unfolded the paper as the men huddled around her.

"In the case regarding the death of Christopher Francis Martin" Garnet read aloud, turning white "The cause of death was Acute Anaemia brought on by continued blood loss"

"That's ridiculous" Jason said, also turning white "He has never been anaemic his entire life. Surely there's a better explanation"

"The report said it was due to blood loss" Dracula murmured, keeping his voice even "Has he injured himself perhaps?"

"He's never even broken a bone in his body" Marty replied, shaking his head "He must have been stabbed to death...what are we going to tell his parents?"

"We have a little bit of time to figure that out" Garnet said, blinking back tears as Dracula encircled her in his arms "At least a plane ride's worth of time"

"She's right" Jason said, mulling over the idea "We have ample time to figure it out"

"Please" Dracula said, hugging Garnet tight "My private jet is at your disposal. Take it anywhere you wish and promise me you will take care of my beloved"

Garnet froze, turning to face Dracula.

"You're not coming?" she asked, in disbelief "But you have to!!!"

"I'm afraid I will have to meet you there" he said sadly "I have some business to conclude before I can come to Canada. I promise I will make it there for you"...

... They boarded the jet that afternoon and headed home with Chris' body. As they made their way home, none of them could think of any logical explanations for their friend's death and were anxious about facing their families.

As per the wishes of Chris and his parents, his remains were cremated before they left London. The golden urn stood on a table on the luxurious jet as inspiration for the remaining three to find a way to explain its existence.

"This isn't going to be a great homecoming" Garnet said softly, as they made their descent to the Edmonton Municipal airport.

The two men nodded in agreement as they prepared to land...

... Dracula paced around his secret room with Elyse and Magda watching him worriedly. All three knew an investigation would be made into the mysterious death and were worried about the consequences.

"I'm worried" Dracula said, pausing his pacing to look at his loyal concubines "I'm sure Katerina knows I didn't board that jet. She's probably pursuing Garnet and the others as we speak"

"Please, Vlad" Elyse said, putting a soothing arm around his trembling shoulders "Do not worry. Magda and I can follow them to and make sure nothing happens to Garnet until your arrival"

"Yes" Magda agreed, smiling softly at her master "We know how much Garnet means to you and as a future sister of ours, she needs to be protected. Even if the cost is our own lives"

Dracula sat in his throne, mulling over what they had just offered. He knew he had no other choice.

"Go to Edmonton then" he conceded, sitting regally "Have three of my bodyguards go with you just in case. Katerina needs to be stopped"

"Yes, master" they chorused before disappearing from the room...


End file.
